Soviet Legislation of the 1920s-1930s as an Instrument of Socialist Transformation and a Socio-Political Resource

The study examines the mechanism of socialist transformation of society through the adoption of legislative acts, using the historical experience of the Soviet state as a case study. This system differed from Western parliamentary systems, since it was more resilient and capable of functioning effectively under crisis conditions, such as the Civil War or the socialist reconstruction of the national economy in the period of collectivization. This system was characterized provision for popular sup port of governmental decisions, as the interests of the people were represented in the highest state bodies by delegates to the Congresses of Soviets, members of the Central Executive Committee, and delegates to party congresses. Another defining feature was the interchangeability of legislative bodies, whereby all four supreme organs possessed legislative authority. The paper analyzes the drafting and adoption of Soviet laws during the 1920s and 1930s, using the legislation on the Unified Agricultural Tax and the laws concerning collectivization as case studies. Contrary to the common view that regulation in the Soviet system was solely based on party decisions, these examples demonstrate that Soviet laws — enacted in accordance with established procedures — served as important socio-political instruments and means of societal transformation. These laws embodied the ideas of party and state leaders, as well as representatives of the people within the Soviet and party organs, and were developed based on the theoretical frameworks developed by K. Marx and V. I. Lenin.

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